Classes at Marc Adams School of Woodworking

Sculptural Rocking Chair with Marc Adams

Dates: 6/17/2017 - 6/23/2017

Cost: $1085 Materials: $35 Deposit: $400

This class will be dedicated to making a Maloof-style sculptural rocking chair with major emphasis on comfort, aesthetics, and ergonomics. You will use tools such as rasps, gouges, saw rasps and grinders to rhythmically give the chair shape. Students can either design their own chair or use the school's patterns. There is a special session on rockers and what considerations must be taken into account to keep the chair from scooting across the floor. There is a relationship between the rockers, the chair itself, and the center of gravity of the human body. Students learn which joints work best under different loads and will have a chance to practice hip, dowel, and mortise and tenon joints. This class requires that students bring pre-sawn lumber for the rockers as well as other roughed out parts to help save on shop time. The rockers will be bent using a lamination technique of gluing thin stock together on a curved form. The goals of this seven day class are to have all the joinery done by the last day of the class, including the placement of the rockers, and to start the shaping process. It will take at least 55 board feet of 8/4 material. Students are required to bring pre-dimensioned lumber. This class is intense and requires several late nights of physical work. Sculpting the arms, legs and spindles is like rowing a boat all day — but well worth the work.

Key Points:

Design your own chair

Learn about rocker theory

Square first, do the joinery, then cut to shape

Cut hip joints that support the legs

Learn hand and grinding techniques for smooth sculptural work

Develop hard and soft lines

Fit, shape and size the spindles for comfort

Learn assembly and gluing process for chairs

NOTE: Prior to the start of class, a cut list will be sent so you can Bring Your Own Wood.

There is a $45 annual registration fee that will be added to your the total amount of the class if this is the first class you are registering for this season.